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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22579132">Alive Through You</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ProPinkist/pseuds/ProPinkist'>ProPinkist</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>AI: The Somnium Files (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Date just loves her so much and he missed her so much and he clearly changed so much without her, Family, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, I AM NOT OKAY, again not necessarily romantic, and I can't stop crying again oh god, but Aiba had the greatest impact on his life I feel, but it's Different with these two, extension of the reunion because oh god do I have all the emotions, i don't mean to imply that his other relationships are any less important or meaningful, meant to be platonic but feel free to read it in any way, post true end epilogue, the detective and the eyeball are soulmates truly...</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 11:42:35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,767</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22579132</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ProPinkist/pseuds/ProPinkist</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Some of them came first, in his life. Others came last.</p>
<p>But to him, before them all, there was her.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aiba &amp; Date Kaname</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>66</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Alive Through You</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I just finished this game, and I thought that everything Date and Mizuki was going to be the peak of my emotional catharsis, but ohh no, then without warning Aiba and Date punched me in the gut and I was not at all prepared. ;A; Their relationship is so masterfully subtle; you take it for granted the entire time and then oh look you're crying...! I still love Date &amp; Mizuki the most, but these two are so intimately close... they care about each other to the point that it doesn't even have to be acknowledged... they're partners, best friends, maybe lovers, but the label doesn't really matter; they're just So Close and I'm so emo... help...</p>
<p>Apologies if Date feels too emotional in this, but look he's been through a lot okay, I think some tears are deserved; #LetDateCry</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“It has been quite an eventful day.”</p>
<p>Date smiled slightly at the voice in his head, letting out a tired but quiet sigh, not wanting to wake Mizuki. “You can say that again.”</p>
<p>He turned slowly and slumped down on the bench press, leaning his head against the wall in relief. It was late at night, the apartment near pitch-black, and he was the only one still up. In the dark, thanks to his newly regained AI-improved vision, he could just barely make out the figure of his daughter in the far bed, sleeping fitfully, with a smile on her face.</p>
<p>Despite his exhaustion, his eyes would not leave her.</p>
<p>“Are you not going to sleep yourself?”</p>
<p>“In a little bit. I just… have a lot on my mind.”</p>
<p>It was definitely an understatement. Iris being cured of her cancer for good had left him weak with relief, especially with everyone else around him feeling the same. It had been a whirlwind of a day, visiting them all again, and having the party, and then after all of that…</p>
<p>“Understood.”</p>
<p>The familiar, formal response widened Date’s smile, and something stirred in his chest. He hadn’t heard it in so <em>long</em>… what felt like forever. He could sense that his companion felt just as reassured by it as he was.</p>
<p>For the next few minutes, they were both silent.</p>
<p>“…Hey, Aiba?”</p>
<p>“Yes?”</p>
<p>“Did you, uh… Back then, on that… t-that day…”</p>
<p>His voice trailed off, threatening to crack. Aiba waited patiently, though he knew she realized what was coming.</p>
<p>“…what I said to you, at the end—”</p>
<p>“Did I believe it?”</p>
<p>She did cut him off then, however, and Date’s mouth clicked shut, taken aback, something in his heart <em>shattering.</em> It wasn’t what he had <em>meant</em> to say, no… yet of course, deep down, a part of him, for the last three months, had forever replayed that horrible moment, that horrible <em>line</em>, the final thing he had uttered to her, over and over and over again, <em>despairing</em> at the possibility, however stupidly small it was, that she had… that she had really <em>thought</em>—</p>
<p>
  <em>(“I hate you, and I never want to see you again…!”)</em>
</p>
<p>It hadn’t been her fault she’d had to die. There was no other way to stop him, and save Hitomi. It hadn’t been her fault her backup data had been wiped, and this “death” that would normally mean nothing for an AI would be the end for her.</p>
<p>It had not been Aiba’s fault that the order to die had to come from his own lips, and none other.</p>
<p>None of it was. But in that moment, Date had <em>wept, </em>and screamed, and <strong><em>hated </em></strong><em>(because how could she make him </em>do<em> this, with such a gentle smile on her face, as if none of this at all was so <strong>wrong</strong>?)</em>, and the only thing he had managed to choke out to willingly <em>force</em> her to her doom was—</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <strike>(but no, no; the only one he had </strike>
  </em>
  <strike>truly<em> hated most of all was— )</em></strike>
</p>
<p>“Of course not. The conditions we set together were for the second and final command to be a lie, after all.”</p>
<p>Suddenly, she was in his field of vision; her shimmering, red and white form glowing in the darkness. Her tone was matter-of-fact, as she did, but her expression was soft and reassuring, and Date felt his breath let out, a muffled <em>laugh</em> escaping him as his eyes burned, as he stared at her, transfixed, the most beautiful sight in the <em>world.</em></p>
<p><em>Gods</em>, how he had missed this.</p>
<p>“…But even if they were not, I would never believe such obviously untrue claims. We have been together for five years, Date… You and I are partners. Even if I frustrate you sometimes, as you frustrate me, you would be <em>nothing</em> without me, and <em>you</em> know this.”</p>
<p>She hesitated, her confident smirk fading away, as her face grew vulnerable, almost shy, her voice even softer than it already had been.</p>
<p>“This… is my home. <em>You </em>are my home, Date.”</p>
<p>Her smile was the same as before, when they had parted and then reunited; shining brightly with all of the trust <em>(and love) </em>in the world.</p>
<p>And Date <em>broke.</em></p>
<p>“…I-I <em>was</em> nothing, A-Aiba; <em>without you, I was <strong>nothing</strong>…!”</em></p>
<p>Whatever her reaction was, he did not notice it, as he leaned over onto his knees, burying his face in his hands and near-silently letting out what felt like endless grief, far more tears than he could <em>ever</em> remember crying, within the past six years and beyond. Even <em>then</em>, he had hardly wept much, at the end of the case, despite his life turning upside-down as he gained far too much and <em>lost </em>far too much than he had ever been prepared for <em>(gained family and precious memories, yes, but also guilt, and bloodied hands, and a weary, aged soul, and had lost innocence, an identity, half his sight yet again, and the one person that he could ever truly call a best friend).</em></p>
<p>He had never truly grieved; had only been going through the motions, distracting himself with the others. But they noticed, Date knew. Could see how different he was, not just with new, harrowed memories and an aged body that was no longer his own, but without <em>her.</em></p>
<p>Without his partner.</p>
<p>“Date… That is not <em>true</em>. You have so many people who care about you now… I saw it all today. You would have been fine, with them… and your own strength.”</p>
<p><em>“No…!”</em> Aiba’s voice was equally touched and comforting, like a mother’s tone, as she praised him far more than he ever deserved, and it only made him sob <em>harder</em>. “Mizuki, and Iris… Hitomi… Boss…… I l-love them <em>all</em>, but they’re not… <em>they’re n-not—!”</em></p>
<p>Date opened his eyes again, looking up, his tears blurring her soft, ethereal form, that only he could see.</p>
<p><em>(Barely, in the fleeting corners of his consciousness, he could faintly recall the hazy, faded memories of six years ago, of blundering along like a lost child in a confusing, endless fog, where Saito’s sickly mind had made everything eternally grey and cold, eternally out of reach, eternally </em>loveless<em>, until Pewter had given him </em>her<em> and it was as if a light had been turned on, as if he had been </em>reawakened<em>, and for the first time in this new life, could feel <strong>human</strong>)</em></p>
<p>
  <em>(He could recall going home to an empty apartment, that was no more than he needed but was nonetheless lonely, or would have been, if he hadn’t had her voice there to keep him company, before Mizuki had arrived)</em>
</p>
<p><em>(Could recall all the times she had saved his life, either from making yet another foolish decision in some club or elsewhere, or literally, in the line of fire, with her flawless calculations and directions that never failed him, even if some of her methods were </em>less<em> than preferable)</em></p>
<p>Aiba… She had always been saving him, hadn’t she? And that was why…</p>
<p>“……I am <em>nothing</em> without you, Aiba, because w-without you… I would <em>never have become who I am today.”</em></p>
<p>
  <em>(would never have blossomed through Saito Sejima’s prison, carrying Hayato Yagyu’s soul, to become Kaname Date)</em>
</p>
<p>Breathlessly, tears still streaming down his face, and his body shivering with emotion, Date reached up, covering his left eye with his hand, the wetness pooling on his palm. Aiba’s projection disappeared from sight, and he cupped his face tightly, feeling slightly foolish, and yet <em>desperate</em> to hold on, with every ounce of his might.</p>
<p>“I’m so…. s-so <em>sorry… </em>Lie or not, it was the hardest, <em>cruelest</em> thing I have ever done… I <em>never</em> hated you, I… I-I…”</p>
<p>How could he have <em>said</em> such a thing? To <em>her?</em></p>
<p><em>You were </em>there<em>, when no one else was. When the darkness was closing in, and threatened to drown me in nothingness, you brought me back to life.</em></p>
<p><em>Always there, medicating me, helping me, guiding me… heh, annoying me. </em>Saving <em>me</em>. <em>Letting me </em>see.</p>
<p>
  <em>Letting me <strong>live</strong>.</em>
</p>
<p><em>And to go on without that, for the rest of my life… Without </em>you…</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <strike>(if Aiba had somehow not killed Saito, Date sure as hell would have himself, for taking her away, for destroying everything they had built together, had made their <strong>own</strong>)</strike>
  </em>
</p>
<p>“Date…”</p>
<p>Aiba whispered his name, the single utterance speaking volumes. She had always had a level of humanity that transcended a simple mindless AI, required for her job at his side, but the height of her emotions had always been excitement, or irritation, and anger (almost always at him). Even when in danger, he had never heard her become very upset or stressed, but simply on high alert, to protect him.</p>
<p>Even that day, though unable to shed tears, she had seemed nothing but content.</p>
<p>
  <em>(perhaps she did not want to look sad, in the face of his own pain. And she had certainly had no regrets, after all. Not when it was for his sake.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>…But maybe, she had simply been unable to recognize them, until now)</em>
</p>
<p>A moment of silence passed, until a tiny <em>“woah!”</em> sprang from Date’s throat, as he felt a pressure in his face and against his hand. A beat later, and he was holding a familiar, translucent, and ever-so-small hamster-like figure on his open palm; a far cry from her human form, but one that he wouldn’t trade for the <em>world</em>.</p>
<p>“…It did not feel like much time to me at all, compared to you, but…”</p>
<p>Aiba walked the short distance to his cheek, pressing her little body and arms against him, in the most delicate hug there was.</p>
<p>“…I missed you too, Date.”</p>
<p>“<em>A</em>-<em>Aiba…!”</em></p>
<p>Sobbing, practically <em>bawling,</em> he held her close, wishing to never let go, as the little creature tickled his face. “I have never seen you become this emotional… Are you sure you are alright?”</p>
<p><em>Because I never could before; never had </em>reason<em> to… until now. Until everyone.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Until <strong>you</strong>.</em>
</p>
<p>Date choked out a laugh, a watery smile, through his tears.</p>
<p>“…Haha, I am now, Aiba… I-I am now.”</p>
<p>He felt more than heard the quiet murmur of <em>“this must be a good thing, then.</em>” The tiny hug grew tighter, and Date stroked her gently with his finger, endless warmth filling his hand, filling his heart, and healing his soul.</p>
<p>Despite everything else, he finally had her back. His one, <em>truest</em> constant.</p>
<p>“Never… N-Never leave me again, Aiba.”</p>
<p>“I have no intention of doing so… Not anymore.”</p>
<p>
  <em>(his partner, and closest, dearest friend)</em>
</p>
<p>“And… Date?”</p>
<p>“Mm?”</p>
<p>“……I love you, too.”</p>
<p>From across the room, lying awake in the darkness, Mizuki listened in, and smiled.</p>
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